Should You Buy the “Except for…” Home?

Are you currently shopping around for a new home? Do you have a wish list for this home and just can’t seem to find the perfect match? Have you found yourself leaving a potential new home with the words, “It’s perfect except for (fill in the blank)!”

The “thing” might be a smaller kitchen than you want, lack of front hall closet, a basement laundry room instead of one on the second floor, or flooring that you don’t like.

Should you consider buying it anyway?

It’s not necessarily an easy decision but in the current real estate market it is a position many buyers find themselves in.

Here are a few things to consider if you are one of those buyers in this situation:

  • How likely is it that you’ll find another home that better meets your needs?
  • How soon do you want to move? (If you’re in a time-crunch you may need to adjust your expectations.)
  • Is the “except for…” something that can be fixed, perhaps with a renovation? For example, there are many ways to expand a small kitchen but if the house has serious structural issues you may want to take a pass.
  • If the home’s shortcoming is fixable, approximately how much will that cost? How long will it take?
  • Can you live with the nagging “thing”, especially when the home is otherwise perfect?
new home

One last thing to consider is that it might turn out that the improvement is a good investment and will add value to your new home. It can be tough to work through a decision like this, especially if you’re in a situation where you need to make an offer quickly, so it’s not a bad idea to consider these things before you start shopping.

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